


Jane on the Offbeat

by Thefemalearrow



Series: The Creekwoodverse but it's Stranger Things [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Love Simon Fusion, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - No Upside Down, Bisexual Eleven | Jane Hopper, Book: Leah on the Offbeat, Break Up, College, Eleven is Hopper's biological daughter, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Gay Mike Wheeler, Gay Will Byers, Graduation, Multi, One-Sided Attraction, Prom, Promposing, Road Trips, Senior year, Slow Burn, Spring Break, Truth or Dare, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:28:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 8,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26621428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thefemalearrow/pseuds/Thefemalearrow
Summary: Jane Hopper thought senior year was going to be easy, but when her friend's group starts to fall apart, and when her best friend starts having problems with his girlfriend(who she may or may not have a crush on,) will she be able to hold everything together?
Relationships: Eleven | Jane Hopper & Jim "Chief" Hopper, Eleven | Jane Hopper/Maxine "Max" Mayfield, Joyce Byers & Eleven | Jane Hopper, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper, Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair, Will Byers & Eleven | Jane & Dustin Henderson & Maxine Mayfield & Lucas Sinclair & Mike Wheeler, Will Byers/Mike Wheeler
Series: The Creekwoodverse but it's Stranger Things [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1936516
Comments: 13
Kudos: 26





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes place about a year after Love, Will. The gang is now seniors in high school. Now, on with the story!

Jane Hopper isn't a fan of musicals. Something about people always breaking into songs just annoyed her, but here she was, watching her school's production of "Frozen." It wasn't the version that was on broadway. It was a shorter version that was made for schools. She was only there because her friend, Will, decided in his last year of high school to become a theater kid. He was playing one of the members of Oaken's family and the lead male troll, Pabbie.

During the reprise of 'For the First Time in Forever,' Max leaned over to Jane. "I heard you're applying to Indiana State," Max whispered.

"I am," Jane whispered.

"Well me and this girl from my physics class, Nora, are planning a road trip there during spring break," Max whispered. "We're both applying. Maybe you can join us. It will only be like three days."

"I'll think about it," Jane whispered. "Spring break is still pretty far off. We haven't even started Winter Break."

"I know, just think about it," Max whispered. They were quiet for the rest of the show. After the bows, the director walked onto the stage. She said that there was now going to be a live Q&A with the cast. A lot of the cast, Will included, were surprised. The only ones who weren't were the leadership of the drama club.

Even though the auditorium was dark, Ms. Grass managed to find Mike in the crowd. Bruno, Max, Dusti, Lucas, and Mike shared a knowing look. Jane hated it when her friends had group secrets and she wasn't in on it. It made her feel like Max was slowly, but surely, replacing her.

A spotlight was placed on Mike and he was handed a microphone. "Um, my question is for the boy playing Pabbie," Mike said, awkwardly. Will's eyes went as wide as saucers. "I need some advice, something you should know a lot about. So if I asked my boyfriend to prom, what do you think he would say?"

It took Will a moment to realize what was going on. The girl who played Elsa handed him a microphone. "I think he would say yes," Will said. The two boys then ran to each other. They met in the middle and shared a kiss. A lot of the audience cheered, but a few people gave them disapproving looks. Jane thought that people would have calmed down about them dating since it's been a year, but they still weren't one hundred percent accepted.

It's 2019, Jane thought. Get with the times.  
\---  
Everyone went to Waffle House after the cast got changed back into their normal clothes. People kept congratulating Mike and Will like they had just gotten engaged. Jane watched from a booth, where she was sandwiched between Max and Dustin. She couldn't believe that people were already promposing in December.

"So, have you guys started looking at colleges yet?" Bruno asked after swallowing a mouth full of waffles.

"I've applied to Indiana State University, but I won't find out if I've gotten in until March," Jane said. Since Jane grew up not having much money, she knew she would have to stay in Indiana for college. It's just been her and her dad, Jim Hopper since she was a baby. Her mom left them when Jane was three months old. She and her dad were very close. Jim was the only one who knew that Jane is bisexual. She came out to him when she was eleven and they were binge-watching "Friends."

"I'm also applying," Max added.

"I'm applying to NYU," Lucas said.

"That's half a days drive from here," Bruno said.

"Yeah, but I'm sure me and Max will make the long-distance thing work," Lucas said, optimistically. "Right babe?"

"Yeah totally," Jane said, after missing at least two beats. Jane felt a twist in her stomach. It was a twist that always came when she thought conflict was coming up. She pushed her plate of waffles away and took a sip of her sweet tea, trying to suppress her feeling of dread.

About an hour later, people began to leave. Max and Jane were soon the only members of their group still in the parking lot. There was a group of freshmen girls still there, but other than that, the parking lot was empty. "Have you made your decision on the road trip yet?" Max asked.

"No," Jane answered.

"Just think about it some more," Max pleaded. She then heard the honking of her car, signifying her brother had arrived. "I hope you come. It's going to be great!"

Max then walked to her car, turning back to face Jane a few times. Max had this smile that could brighten up any place. Jane at first found it obnoxious, but it started to grow on her. Max just started to grow on her in general. Jane realized that she was falling hard for Max, but she thought Max very straight.

Max climbed into the car and it drove off, leaving Jane alone with her thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2

Jim Hopper's car pulled up to the front of the Waffle House. Jane climbed in on the passenger side. "Hey dad," Jane said.

"Hey," Jim said. He then pulled out of the parking lot and started driving home. "So how was the show? I show the video of Mike asking Will to prom."

"It's already been posted on social media?" Jane asked.

"Yeah, Nancy posted it on her Facebook," Jim explained.

"You follow Mike's sister on Facebook?" Jane asked. Jim nods as he makes a turn to the left. "But why?"

"Why not?" Jim asked.

"Anyway, the show was fine, but we're coming back to this later," Jane said. They soon arrived back at their house. It was a small two-bedroom and one bath cabin. It wasn't connected to any of the neighborhoods, and their nearest neighbor was almost half a mile away.

"Max invited me to go tour of Indiana State with her and a girl named Nora," Jane explained as they walked into their cabin. "It would be over spring break, and she said we'd be gone for three days."

"You should go," Jim encouraged. "It would give you a good vibe of the school."

"I want to wait to see if I actually get into the school first," Jane said.

"That's understandable," Jim said. "If you end up not going, I will tour the campus with you."

"Thank you, but I think I'll probably end up going," Jane said. Jane had heard horror stories of overprotective parents at college tours. They would annoy the poor tour guides with their excessive questions. Jane knew her dad would go full-on cop integration on their tour guide.

"I'm going to get ready for bed," Jane said. "Goodnight dad. Love you."

"Love you too," Jim said. Jane then went to the bathroom and took a quick shower. Once she was out, she got changed into her favorite cupcake pajamas. She went to her room and climbed into the bed. She turned off the lamp and was asleep almost immediately.  
\---  
Winter break came and went. Jane spent most of it playing dungeons and dragons with her group. She noticed that, as time went on, the tension between Max and Lucas grew. Jane wanted to say something, but the glares were too intense for her comfort.

When Lucas came to pick her up for school, she noticed that Max wasn't there. She climbed in the back and sat on Will's left. "Where's Max?" Jane asked. She couldn't believe that she had just asked about Max Mayfield.

"She's taking the bus today," Lucas said, but his eyes told another story. They were red and puffy like he had been crying. Jane's phone vibrated.

Will: You don't know?

Jane: I don't.

Will: I'll tell you when we get to school.

Jane slipped her phone into her back pocket. Everyone in the car was silent as they made their way to the school, which was a ten-minute drive from the school. Jane could walk to school, but she enjoyed carpooling with Will, Lucas, and Max.

Once they were parked, they climbed out and went inside. Jane and Will had the same first period, which was Algebra. They sat in the back of the classroom. "So what's up with Max and Lucas?" Jane asked.

"I don't know exactly what went down, but I know that Max dumped Lucas," Will said.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading my story! In the reviews of the last chapter, I got a good question from a reader, so I'm going to say what the ships are for this fic. It's a slow burn Jax(Jane or Eleven/Max. I don't know if that's their ship name). The other main ship is Byler(Will/Mike). I might add more ships as the story continues, but that is to be decided. Now on with the chapter!

"Are you sure they actually broke up?" Jane asked. "This could have just been a bad argument."

"No, she ended things on New Years," Will said. "Apparently Lucas was talking about how they were going to make the long-distance relationship work, and she flipped out. She dumped him and then left. I got a call from a sobbing Lucas at one in the morning."

"Wow," Jane said.

"I know," Will said. "She wasn't even willing to give it a chance. This could be the thing that shatters our friend group. We're going to be going to different colleges in a few months, which will already put our group to the test, and now there's this."

"I mean, she can do whatever she wants," Jane said.

"I know, but I was hoping you would talk to her about it," Will suggested. "Have a girl talk and see if she will change her mind."

"Me and Max aren't really that close," Jane said.

"But will you please," Will pleaded, giving her the puppy eyes. "This is for the good of our friend group."

"I'll do my best," Jane promised.  
\---  
At lunch, Max wasn't sitting with them. She was sitting with some of the band kids on the other side of the cafeteria. Will and Bruno were comforting a still-sobbing Lucas. "I already had this big promposal planned," he sobbed. "I had her favorite candles and everything."

"I'm sorry buddy," Bruno said. Will gave Jane a look, and she got up from the table. She grabbed her things and walked over to Max's table. She took her earphones out and stared at her as Jane sat down.

"I've decided I'm going to join you and Nora during Springe Break," Jane said. Max's face went from a slight frown to a wide smile.

"Awesome," Max exclaimed. "I was thinking we leave Monday, go on a tour, and explore the town on Tuesday, and then we head home on Wednesday. Unless you want to go on the weekend so we can see what the nightlife is like."

"Can you really see me at a club?" Jane asked. There was then a moment of silence. "So how are you taking the break up?"

"I'm doing fine," Max said. "You should really be asking Lucas. I've been meaning to dump him since November."

Jane nods before looking at her half-empty tray. "Which one of the boys sent you over?" Max asked. "I know their all going to be on his side, that's why I'm over here. They're just going to pressure me into taking him back, and I don't want that right now."

"To answer your question, Will sent me," Jane said. "But I'm not taking sides. I wanted to be there for Lucas, but I understand that you have the right to date or not date whoever you please."

"Thanks," Max said. "Gosh, it's like when you enter a popular couple people forget your human. They love you until you remind them that your in this relationship by choice, not for their pleasure."

"I don't understand the pressure, but if you need to vent, I'm here," Jane offered.

"Thanks," Max said, with a smile. Something about that smile gave Jane butterflies. She wanted to kiss Max and make her first-ever girlfriend, but she was pretty sure Max was straight, but if she isn't...

What are you thinking Jane? she scolded in her thoughts. This is Lucas's ex-girlfriend. Even if she was into girls, she would still be off-limits.

Doesn't mean Jane couldn't fantasize though.


	4. Chapter 4

Things only got slightly better over the past few weeks. Lucas seemed to be holding it together, at school at least. He stopped inviting them over to his house and would send them away whenever they tried to come over.

To Jane's suprise, she and Max had become pretty good friends. Jane had never had a good female friend before, so it was kind of refreshing. She enjoyed hanging out with the boys, but she always secretly craved a female companion. One who she could talk about girl stuff with without one of the parties getting weirded out.

Max and Jane were standing in line at the cafeteria. Today was Taco Tuesday. "I have a place for us to stay when we go to Terre Haute," Max said. "My cousin's girlfriend's friend's sister is going to be out of state, so she said we can stay at her apartment. It's two bedrooms and has a pull-out couch."

"Your cousin's girlfriend's friend's sister has offered us a place to stay?" Jane asked. "Sounds kind of fishy."

"I know, but I've met her a few times and she's cool," Max said. They then finish getting their lunch, which is the first time they see their table. The boys were holding up a sign, and Bruno was standing in the middle.

'Jane Hopper, will you go to prom with me?'

She felt her heart beating out of her chest. There were so many eyes on her. Bruno was looking at her, waiting for her response. Jane ran out of the cafeteria and ran into the library. She sat in the back of the library and ate her meal quietly.

Five minutes later, Bruno entered the library and sat at her table. Jane just stared at her meal. "Hey," Bruno said.

"Hi," Jane said.

"I'm sorry if I freaked you out," Bruno said.

"It's ok, I just wished you asked me in private," Jane whispered.

"Is that a yes or a no?" Bruno asked. Jane never saw herself with Bruno, but she figured he would make a good boyfriend. She couldn't wait around for Max since she didn't know if she was into girls or not.

"Yes," Jane said. "I'll go to prom with you."  
\---  
After school, Jane quickly realized her dad wasn't taking her home. She had sent him a text, informing him that she had been asked to prom. "Where are we going?" Jane asked.

"You're going prom dress shopping with Joyce," Jim said. It hadn't sunken in with Jane that her dad was dating Will's mom, meaning one day they might be step-siblings. "I still have work so I'm going to drop you off. I want you guys to bound."

"I'll try," Jane said. He pulled up to the dress shop and Jane climbed out of the car. She walked over to Joyce. "Hi, Ms. Byers."

"Hey Jane," Joyce said. They walked into the building. It was full of girls who were also doing early prom dress shopping. Jane knew she didn't want to wear a Cinderella ball gown. She wanted something a lot more understated.

"I say we start with a few dresses and go from there," Joyce suggested. They grabbed three dresses and went to one of the empty dressing rooms. Joyce hung up the dresses and waited for her outside.

The first was a yellow dress with a tool skirt. Jane stared at herself in the mirror and felt small. "Are you going to step out?' Joyce asked. "Or do you need help putting the dress on?"

"No, it's fine, but I'm not going to step out in this one," Jane shouted. She stepped out of the dress and got changed into the next dress. It was a blue dress that was in the mermaid style. It had a sweetheart neckline.

Jane walked out and showed her the dress. They both agreed that it wasn't the one, leaving one last dress. It was a dark purple dress with spaghetti straps. It was fitted, but not too tight.

Jane put on the dress and admired herself. For the first time in her life, she felt pretty. She stepped out of the dressing room and stood onto the stool. "Jane, you look beautiful," Joyce said.

"Thanks," Jane said. "I think this is the one."

"I agree," Joyce said.

"How much does it cost?" Jane asked. Jane knew this store. It was where her dad got all of her formal wear since it always had reasonable prices, but a dress like this would still be pretty pricey.

"You don't have to worry about that," Joyce said. "It's a gift from me to you."

"You sure?" Jane asked.

"Of course, but it's only fifty dollars," Joyce said. Jane got changed back into her clothes while Joyce put the other two dresses back. They went to the front of the dress and bought the dress. "I'm going to drop you off at home."

"Thank you for everything," Jane said.

"You're welcome," Joyce said. They then climb into Joyce's car and leave the mall.


	5. Chapter 5

Jane and her friends all seemed to get word from the colleges they applied to around the same time. By the end of the second week of March, almost all of the lunch table crew had received word from their colleges, for better or worse. On Thursday, Jane received word that she had gotten into Indiana State. So, on Friday, she went to school wearing a hoodie from that college.

Jane was sitting in the library, doing research for a History paper. Max sat in front of her. Jane noticed that Max was also wearing an Indiana State hoodie, but it was red instead of dark blue. "It's just going to be us in Terre Haute," Max said.

"Why?" Jane asked.

"Nora called me last night, and she didn't get in," Max said. Jane felt bad for Nora, even though she barely knew her. Her parents were alumni of Indiana State University, so it was expected that Nora would also attend.

"That sucks," Jane said.

"I know," Max said. "I heard that her parents have been on the phone with the college all night, ranting and threatening to withdraw the money they donated. She's not going to be at school today."

"Should we check on her after school?" Jane asked.

"If we do, we should change out of our hoodies so we don't rub salt in the wound," Max said. Jane nods as the bell rings, signifying for them to go to the first period. Jane said goodbye to Max and went to class.  
\---  
Will and Jane were the first people at the lunch table. Will seemed to be distressed, barely touching his meal. "What's wrong, Will? Jane asked. She was hoping he was just tired, but she knew that was unlikely.

"Can I tell you a secret?" Will asked. "And you can't tell anyone."

"Of course," Jane said. She hated secrets, but Will seemed to need someone he could trust with this secret. She decided she would keep this secret unless she needed to tell.

"I got into NYU, which is the school Mike and I decided we would attend together," Will said. "But I also got into Massachusetts College of Art and Design, which I've been dreaming of since I was twelve."

"That's great," Jane exclaimed.

"It would be, but I'm scared that this will cause problems with Mike," Will said. "What if the long-distance puts a strain on our relationship? You saw what it did to Max and Lucas."

"But that doesn't mean it won't work for you guys," Jane said. "They're going to schools that our half a days travel away from each other. It probably won't even take five hours for you guys to get to each other."

"I looked it up, and it's expected to at least be four hours," Will groaned. "And that's not even taking into account traffic. What if Mike dumps me because of this?"

"I think you guys should talk about it," Jane said. "Maybe you should go out for lunch next week and have a discussion."

"You're right," Will sighed.

"I know," Jane said. The others then started to sit around the table. Max and Dustin had traded seats, putting Dustin beside Lucas, and Max was sat beside Jane. Jane sensed that they had another argument due to the growing tension.

Jane ate her lunch quietly, not ready for what was going to happen over Spring Break.


	6. Chapter 6

"Did you pack your toothbrush?" Jim asked as Jane zipped up her over the night bag.

"I did," Jane said, putting on her bookbag. Jim handed his daughter a credit card.

"That is connected to a bank account that has five hundred dollars in it," Jim said. "I know you guys already have a place to stay and its free, but that's for food and other expenses."

"Thanks, Dad," Jane said. She then hugged him as Max honked the horn of her car. "Bye, dad. I'll see you Wednesday. Love you."

"Love you too," Jane said. She exited the house and walked to the car, wondering how in the world Max got Billie's car for the trip. Jane threw her bag into the trunk and climbed into the passenger seat. Max was playing some rap song that Jane didn't recognize.

"Ready to go?" Max hollered.

"Yeah," Jane said. Max pulled out of the driveway, bobbing her head along to the song. "How did you get Billie's car for the weekend? I thought he hated your guts."

"Oh we both hate each other, but he's away camping for the week so the car was free for the taking," Max explained. As they continued there way, Max and Jane's phones vibrated. They had both received a text from Bruno.

Bruno: I'm in charge of getting the reservation for our pre-prom meal. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Jane: Something not expensive.

Bruno: You don't have to worry about the price. What kind of date would I be if I made you pay for your meal?

Jane then sat her phone back on her lap. Jane was still a little surprised that Bruno had asked her to prom. Was it because she was the only in the girl who wasn't Lucas's ex? Or had he liked her all along? Was she that oblivious when it came to romance that she missed his flirting?

"I don't think I'm going to attend prom," Max stated, causing Jane to be snapped out of her thoughts. "I just feel like it would be awkward since Lucas is going to be there, and it's kind of weird going to prom without a date."

"You don't need a date to have a good time at prom," Jane said. "Remember last year's homecoming dance. Even with James being the worst, we managed to have a good time. You didn't have a date then and we had a great time."

"You're right," Max sighed.

"I know I am," Jane said, with a smirk. "Also you've already paid for your outfit."

In typical Max fashion, she opted to not wear a dress. Instead, she bought a yellow suit with dark blue vertical stripes. She had high heels that were the same shade of dark blue. She refused to let anyone see her outfit before prom, but she described it well enough for everyone to have a vague idea.

Jane picked up her phone and opened Instagram. She saw that Will had posted a photo of him and Mike. Today was Mike's birthday, so they were spending the day together. They were sitting at Starbucks and sipping on ice coffee. Jane went to her Instagram DM's and typed a text for Will.

Jane: Have you told him yet?

Will: No. I'm waiting for the right moment.

Jane: There will never be a right moment, you just have to come out and say it(pun very much intended).

Jane put her phone down and stared at the window, thinking about how it was just going to be her and Max for the next few days.  
\---  
They arrived in Terre Haute about two hours later. It was the biggest city in Wabash Valley. Kali lived in an area that had a few one-story apartments. They found Kali's apartment and parked in the visitor's spot. They walked up to the door and Max knocked on it.

A girl with long, black hair that was slightly dyed purple opened the door. "Hey Max," Kali said. They shared a hug that you usually don't give your cousin's girlfriend's friend's sister. Once they pulled away, Kali turned to Jane.

"You must be Jane," Kali said. "I'm Kali."

Jane and Kali shook hands. Jane wasn't much of a hugger. Kali then dropped the keys into Max's right hand. "The apartment is all yours," Kali said. "If you're looking for something to do after the tour, my friend, Jesse, is having a party tomorrow night. She's in apartment A4."

"Thank you for telling us," Max said.

"Welp I'm heading out," Kali said. "Whatever you do, don't set the place on fire."

Kali walked to her truck and climbed in. Max waved at her as she drove off. They walked inside and picked their rooms. Once they had their rooms selected and they let their family know they made it there safely, they left for a night on the town.

They looked threw local shops and spent a little bit of their spending money. After about an hour, they felt their stomach rumble. "My cousin said there's a nearby diner that makes great grilled cheese sandwiches," Max said. "And it's not that pricy."

They quickly found the place. It was called Reggie's Diner. They walked inside and sat at the booth. They feasted on grilled cheese sandwiches, fries, and milkshakes. They took billions of photos for Instagram. A few people thought they were a couple, but they corrected them politely.

After dinner, they went back to the apartment and got ready for bed. Jane took a quick shower and watched 'Lucifer' on Netflix in her bed. After a few episodes, Jane turned off the TV and fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Jane woke up at around eight in the morning. She walked to the kitchen and saw a note on the fridge from Kali. 'Help yourself to whatever is in the kitchen.' Jane smiled gratefully as she looked around the kitchen.

She made herself a waffle with syrup and butter in it. She sat in the kitchen and ate her breakfast when she saw that she had received a text from Will. She opened it and began reading it.

Will: I finally told Mike last night.

Jane: And?

Will: He's willing to do the long-distance thing.

Jane: Sweet.

Max then entered the kitchen. She fixed herself some oatmeal and coffee. She sat beside Jane and began to eat. "Good morning," Max said. "How did you sleep?"

"I slept well, how about you?" Jane asked. Max was wearing black leggings and a dark blue hoodie. She had her hair up in a messy bun. Jane wondered how Max can look so good in the mourning. Jane wanted to kiss her, but she knew she couldn't.

"Same here," Max said. "We have a few hours to kill before the tour. What do you want to do?"

"I don't know," Jane said. "We can explore the town a little more, or we can go to the campus and see the areas they won't show us during the tour. What times does it begin again?"

"One," Max said. "But we should get there around twelve so we can have lunch beforehand. I know that they allow visitors to eat at their dining hall as long as they pay. Kali gave me a list of places we should visit so we can start there."

"Sounds like a good starting spot," Jane said. They then finish up breakfast and start getting ready. Jane thought about what it would be like if she and Max were college roommates. They were both staying in the dorms, so it was possible. She wondered if she could manage to live with Max twenty-four seven without falling for her harder.  
\---  
The campus was pretty big. It was buzzing with life, and it took Max and Jane about twenty minutes before they found the food court. They ended up splitting a pepperoni pizza and drinking sodas. They talked with some of the upperclassmen about the school. They always looked at Max and Jane like they were babies.

Once they were finished with lunch, they went to the courtyard. The other soon-to-be freshmen were there as well. The tour was going to be led by Cody, a senior. He had vibrant red hair with dark purple tips.

"Good afternoon," Cody exclaimed. "We're going to have some fun today, but we have a few rules you must follow. No leaving the group unless you have permission. I know you guys are almost adults and should know this, but we always have at least three strays every year. You take your eye off of them for one moment and there already in the bathroom, getting high."

Jane just nodded along for the rest of the speech. Once he was finished, the tour began. They walked threw the halls, constantly being stopped by over-protective parents who had billions of questions. "That would be my dad if he was here," Jane whispered to Max.

"But he's not," Max said. "Because we're on a girl's trip!"

Jane and Max shared a high five before the tour continued.  
\---  
That night, they went to the party that Kali's friend was having. Jesse opened the door. "You guys must be Kali's friends," Jesse said. Jane noticed that she was holding a bottle of beer. "Please come in."

They walked into the small apartment. Jane sat in a corner and watched the film that was on the TV while Max socialized with the college kids. Jane played on her phone. She usually only went to parties if one of her friends was hosting. She has certainly never been to a college party.

It was around two in the morning when Jane finally convinced Max to go home. Max wasn't flat out drunk, but she needed Jane's help to walk. Jane unlocked the apartment and took Max to her room. She laid her in the bed. "Let's play truth or dare," Max shouted.

"It's a little late for that," Jane whispered. "Also, we have to leave tomorrow morning."

"Please," Max said. Jane was about to leave, but Max grabbed Jane's wrist. She had a firm grip on it. "Please. This is our first sleepover so we have to play truth or dare. Just one round. Pleeeease."

"Fine," Jane said. "If it gets you to sleep, I will. Truth."

"If you could make out with any of our friends, who would it be?" Max asked.

"Dare," Jane said, not wanting to answer this question.

"You can't just change after the question is asked," Max groaned.

"But I did," Jane said.

"Fine," Max sighed. Her eyes darted around the room before she grew a mischievous smirk. "I know. I dare you to kiss me."


	8. Chapter 8

"What," Jane stuttered. Sure, she wanted to kiss Max, but something about this felt wrong. Max was a little buzzed, and it kinda felt like cheating on Bruno. Sure, they weren't officially dating, but they were going to prom together.

"Only if you want to though," Max said. Before Jane could say something else, Max ignored her previous statement and kissed her. Jane stood there surprised before pulling away. That was her first kiss, and something felt wrong about it.

"Wasn't that fun?" Max asked, not noticing the discomfort on Jane's face. "I've always wanted to kiss a girl, but I've never been able to find a girl interested. Girls who are into girls get rightfully mad when straight girls use them for experimentation-"

"What makes you think I'm straight?' Jane snapped. Max's face went from happy to confused. "Why is straight always the default? It's always straight until you kiss someone of the same gender or say it."

"Jane I'm so sorry," Max said. "I thought-"

"No, you didn't think," Jane interrupted. "Did you know that was my first kiss? You took it for your experimentation."

Before Max could say another word, Jane stood up. "This trip was a terrible idea," Jane said. She then left the room, slamming the door on the way out.  
\---  
The next morning, Max and Jane got ready to leave without uttering a word to each other. They climbed into the car and pulled out of the parking lot, the only noise coming from the radio. Max eventually began to him along to the radio.

"Where do you want to go for breakfast?' Max asked, finally breaking the silence.

"I don't care," Jane said, looking at her phone. Max sighed and pulled into drive threw at a Chick-Fil-La. "I just want the chicken minis please."

Max nods as Jane gave her a ten-dollar bill. Max bought the food and gave it to Jane before they continued on there way. Both girls were quiet, still feeling awkward from the previous night.

They eventually drove past the Hawkins town border. Jane's head was leaning against the window as Max pulled into her neighborhood. "I want you to know that I'm so sorry about last night," Max said.

"Ok," Jane said.

"Please look at me and say more than ok," Max pleaded as they pulled into the driveway.

"What can I say?" Jane asked. "You used me last night. I don't see why you think I'm going to forgive and forget that so quickly."

"Jane, you made me realize that I think I might be bisexual," Max confessed. "I enjoyed that kiss, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it made sense. I wanted you to know first."

"I'm glad you decided to tell me," Jane said. "I'll see you at school Monday."

Jane exited the car and grabbed her bag. She walked to the front door and opened it. She walked inside, trying to ignore the butterflies Max had left in her stomach.


	9. Chapter 9

Jane walked into her room and saw a black bag on her bed. There was a note attached to it that was from Joyce. "I took it to the dry cleaners. It should be ready for prom." She opened the bag and saw her purple prom dress was in it. She smiled at it. She couldn't believe that prom was the weekend after Spring Break.

Jane thought about trying on the dress again, but she decided against it. She didn't want to potentially mess it up before next Saturday. Her phone vibrated, showing that she had gotten a text from Will.

Will: Are you back in Hawkins? If so, do you want to meet us at Waffle House?

Jane: Who is us?

Will: Me and Lucas.

Jane let out an exhausted sigh. Of course, Lucas would want to see her right after she got back from her trip. He was still head over heels for Max, and Jane knew what Max had moved on. What was she supposed to say to him? Hey Lucas. Yeah, the trip was great. Guess what? I kissed your ex-girlfriend!

Jane thought about it for a moment before deciding to go see them. The Waffle House was a bit of a walk from her house but it wasn't too far. She sent him a text saying she'll be there soon. She then sent her dad a text, letting him know she had made it home safe and informing him she was getting dinner with Will and Lucas. She exited the house and locked the house before leaving.  
\---  
When Jane entered the Waffle House, she immediately found Lucas and Will. Lucas looked like he hadn't slept in days, causing Jane's guilt to build up more. She quietly slipped into the booth. "Hey guys," Jane said.

"Hey Jay," Will said. "How was the trip?"

"It was good," Jane said.

"How is Max?" Lucas blurted out. "Was she sad? Did she cry for like three hours?"

"She seems to be fine," Jane said.

"Did she hook up with someone while you guys were in Terre Haute?" Lucas asked. Jane went silent and bit her lower lip. Before she could talk, Lucas spoke up again. "She did?! I should have known that something like that was going to happen."

Lucas now had tears streaming down his face. Will tried to comfort him, but Lucas quickly shrugged him off. "I need to go to the bathroom," Lucas sobbed, before quickly standing up. He ran to the bathroom, leaving Max and Lucas by themselves.

"Max was all he was talking about while you guys were gone," Will confessed.

"Poor guy," Jane sighed.

"Did Max really hook up with someone in Terre Haute?" Will asked.

"She kissed a random college guy, but she never went all the way with anyone," Jane lied. Will nods. Jane realized that now was the perfect time to come out for Will. He should be the easiest person to come out to. It's not like he was going to be like Sorry Jane. I know that I'm gay, but I'm secretly homophobic.

Yet the words didn't escape her mouth. "I think Luke is planning something for prom," Will whispered. "He hasn't said anything explicitly, but he has dropped not so subtle hints. Like he said he wants to get to prom at seven-thirty."

"That's thirty minutes before prom begins," Jane whispered. "You don't think he's going to try to get her back?"

"I have no clue what's going threw his mind," Will whispered. Lucas then rejoined his friends, looking slightly better than he did before he left. Jane leaned back into her booth, knowing that prom was going to be a night she'll never forget.


	10. Chapter 10

"We're almost done, we just have a few strands of hair left," Joyce said. Jane was sitting in the bathroom while Joyce curled her hair. It was the night of prom, and they were about to head over to her house to meet up with everyone to take pictures. "And done!"

Jane looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair, that ended just above her shoulder, was now very curly. "You look like beautiful," Joyce said. She then walked over to her purse and pulled out a leather box. She opened it and showed Jane a silver necklace with a dove charm connected to it. "I wore this to my senior prom, and I want you to wear it to yours."

"Thank you," Jane said as Joyce put the necklace on her. Joyce nods as Jane slipped on her dress and then put on her black sneakers. They then walked to the living room, where Jim took a photo of his daughter.

"My little girl is all grown up," Jim said. Jane threw her arms around her dad. "I'm going to miss you next year. Promise me that you'll call and visit often."

"Of course," Jane reassured. Joyce and Jim shared a kiss before Jane and Joyce left. Joyce played some classic rock and roll as they made their way to the Byers residence. When they pulled up, they saw that the boys were already there, taking group photos. Jonathan had offered to be the photographer.

Jane and Joyce stepped out of the car. Bruno ran over to Jane. "You look beautiful," Bruno said.

"Thank you," Jane said, awkwardly. He gave her a white flower corsage and placed it on her left wrist. They took their photos before rejoining everyone else. Jane had been avoiding Bruno since the trip, but, to her surprise, Bruno seemed to be still excited about tonight and held no resentment towards her.

"Are you guys excited for tonight?" Mike asked.

"Yeah," Jane said.

"Max is not here," Lucas said. "Do you guys think that she's not coming? Or do you think she's getting a ride with a different person?"

"I just got a text from her," Dustin said. "She just turned onto this road."

Jane just stood there awkwardly. She had been more distant with both Max and Lucas since the kiss. She was more distant with Max so it would be less suspicious, though she had been asked about it a few times. She always shrugged it off and changed the subject.

A red truck then pulled up. Jane turned around and saw Max stepped out of the truck, yellow and blue suit and all. Max walked over to the group quietly. "Hey," Max said, addressing Jane.

"Hey," Jane said.

"You look pretty," Max said.

"Thanks, so do you," Jane said. They then take their final photos as the limo arrived. They climbed inside the twelve-foot-long limo. Each row had two leather couches. There was a mini bar in the back, but, instead of alcohol, there were bottles of water and different sodas.

Everyone sat down and waited for their limo ride to begin. "I see these losers emptied out the booze," Lucas groaned. "But don't worry, I always bring back up just in case something like this happened."

Lucas pulled out a flask and offered everyone a sip expect Max and the limo driver. Everyone rejected the drink. "Ok, more for me I guess, I was trying to be generous," Lucas shrugged. He then finished it in one sip as the limo driver drove off to the restaurant.


	11. Chapter 11

The limo drive dropped them off at the front of the mall. They entered the mall threw Target. People stared at the teens who were wearing formal wear. "Salsa's is on the second floor," Bruno said, staring at his phone.

They exited Target threw the back of the store. They went straight to the escalator and climbed aboard. Jane did her best to not have her dress being stuck on the stairs. Once they climbed off, they looked around until they found the restaurant.

They sat at a long table. Jane was sat in-between Bruno and Max, causing her to feel tense. She was in-between her prom date and the girl she was falling hard for. "So, Will, how are you and Mike planning on handling the long-distance?" Dustin asked as he picked up a chip and doused it in cheese dip.

"Well, we're planning on visiting every other weekend," Will explained. "Well switch out who visits who. The Blue and Crogan emails are going to return. And of course, we'll probably call each other every day."

"That sounds like a good plan," Dustin said.

"Yeah, some people say the long-distance relationship is impossible, but I think it's going to work for us," Mike said. Max and Lucas looked down awkwardly. Mike slumped into his seat, realizing that was the wrong thing to say. "I'm sorry."

Everyone was quiet at the table until their food came. "So I did some research on Maschuttes College of Art and Design," Jane said, finally breaking the silence. "Do you know the school's mascot is a mastodon?"

"Yeah, my mom has bought almost all of the merchandise from the online store," Will said. They then started a conversation about the colleges they were going to. Crisis averted, Jane thought. Bruno grabbed Jane's hand, but she unconsciously flinched away.

"Is everything ok, Jay?" Bruno whispered.

"Everything is fine," Jane whispered, grabbing his hand. They spent the rest of the meal awkwardly holding hands. Max noticed, and Jane lowkey hoped that it made Max jealous.

Once they were finished, Lucas checked the watch that he wasn't wearing. "We should head to the convention center," Lucas said. "Prom is about to begin."

"We still have almost an hour," Will said.

"But I want to beat the traffic," Lucas said. They paid for their meal and then they left the restaurant. They walked to the parking lot, where the limo was waiting for them in front of the Target. They climbed inside of the limo, and Lucas pulled out another flask. He took a large sip of it as the driver pulled out of the parking lot, putting in his GPS the address for where the prom was going to be held.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shorter chapter! This story only has two more chapters to go, but I'm planning on making a third book. I think I'm going to skip "Love, Creekwood" and go straight to "Love, Victor." I think for Love, Victor, I'm going to introduce the "I'm Not Ok with This" characters for the characters in that show. Bye for now!


	12. Chapter 12

Hawkin High School's prom was held at the convention center. Jane and her friends were the first to arrive. The doors to the convention room hadn't even been opened yet. Lucas vanished shortly after they arrived. "I don't think I've ever been here," Max whispered. Jane often forgot that Max had only moved here right before junior year. It felt like Jane knew her for years.

"I've only been here two other times," Jane said. "I think this is going to be where we're going to be graduating next month."

Max nodded, and the doors to the convention room open. They enter the room that had a blue lighting scheme. Half of the room had circular tables with cloths on them, and the other side was a dance floor that had a stage. On the stage was a DJ who was currently tending his booth.

"Are there any seniors in the house?" the DJ shouted.

"I mean, this is senior prom, so yeah," Jane said. The DJ repeated himself, and half of the convention room cheered in response. Jane wondered if they did that to get the DJ to be quiet, or if the others were really getting into this.

Jane sat at one of the empty circular tables. Max, Bruno, and Dustin sat with her while the others vanished on the dance floor. They watched the dance battle between the girl's soccer team and the cheer team. The cheer team naturally dominated since they had more training with gymnastics and dance.

It took about an hour for the first slow song to play. Bruno extended his hand to Jane. "May I have this dance, my fair lady?" Bruno asked, in a fake fancy British accent. Jane took his hand and he led her to the dance floor. She wrapped his arms around her waist, and Jane wrapped her arms around his neck. They began to awkwardly dance.

Jane spotted Will and Mike, who were slow dancing nearby. Jane gave Will a fake smile when he looked at her. She was trying to enjoy her evening with Bruno, but she wished that she was dancing with Max. She hoped that no one noticed.

Once the song was over, the principal walked onto the stage. "It is time for the crowning of the homecoming court," he announced. James Dante gave him an envelope that had the names of the king and queen in it. Even though Will seemed to have forgiven him, Jane still cringed every time he saw his face. The principal opened the envelope and read the names. "Maxine Mayfield and Lucas Sinclair!"

Max had an awkward look on her face. Lucas walked to the stage, but Max ran out of the building. Jane followed her, realizing this was what Lucas had been planning since spring break. This was his master plan to win Max back.

Jane saw that Max was sitting on a bench. Jane sat beside her. Max didn't look up, but she knew that it was Jane who came after her. "I should have known he would do something like this," Max said. "He never got over the breakup. How did he even get everyone to vote for us?"

"I think that he rigged the votes when he arrived," Jane sighed.

"Why can't he respect that I don't want to be with him?" Max asked. "I was thinking about ending things before New Years'. I just used the long-distance thing as an excuse to do it. And I think the boys are on his side."

"I'm sure that they will understand if you explain your point of view to them," Jane said. Max then grabbed Jane's hand and looked into her eyes.

"Jay, I've been thinking a lot since that night in Terre Haute," Max explained. "I realized that, when I'm with you, I feel something that I hadn't felt since the beginning of me and Lucas's relationship. I love you, and I want to be with you."

Jane thought about how this might be too soon. She always thought that you had to wait at least two years before dating your friend's ex, but she didn't care about that at that moment. "I love you too," Jane said. Max then leaned in and smacked their lips together. Max held Jane's face until they pulled apart.

"We should head back to the dance," Jane suggested. "We have a lot to explain to the boys."

"Yeah," Max said. They then intertwined their fingers and started to walk back to the building, preparing themselves for the hundreds of awkward questions they'll be getting.


	13. Chapter 13

A month later...

It was the day of Hawkin High School's graduation. All of the seniors were in the cafeteria, waiting for the bus to take them to the convention center. Jane and her friends, minus Lucas, were sitting at their regular table for the last time. Jane and Max were holding hands.

"I was thinking," Mike said. "We should go camping sometime this summer before we all have to leave for college."

"You think that it would be a good idea to bring your boyfriend camping?" Jane asked sarcastically. She then saw Lucas was sitting with the choir kids, who were sobbing while singing their favorite songs that they performed over the years. Jane and Lucas made brief eye contact before he turned around. He had been ignoring everyone since prom.

"I'm just saying, we're about to see a lot less of each other," Mike said. "I think we should take a vacation, and camping is one of the cheapest options."

Lucas then stood up from his table and walked over to their table. He sat in his normal seat, without uttering a single word. Everyone at the table went silent. "I got sick of the harmonizing and sobbing," Lucas said, coldly. Everyone at the table nodded.

Vice-Principal Black entered the lunchroom. "Ok people who soon are no longer going to be my problem, the bus just arrived so we got to go," he said. They exit the school in an orderly manner and climbed onto the bus.

"I can't believe we're about to graduate," Max whispered to her girlfriend once they were sat down on the bus.

"Me either," Jane whispered. The bus then pulled out of the parking lot and started going to the convention center. Jane rested her head on Max's shoulder as the school disappeared from her line of sight. "Goodbye school. I'm going to miss you."

"Really?" Max asked.

"Yeah," Jane said. "A lot of good has come out of this school, including us."

Jane grabbed Max's right hand that was resting on her leg. They arrived at the convention center and file out of the bus. "Everyone get into alphabetical order," the vice-principal ordered. "If I have to help you, I will rip up your diploma."

Everyone lined up backstage in the convention room. The ceremony began. The principal gave his speech, and so did the valedictorian. After the Vice Principal's speech, they started to call the names of the students. "William Byers," the principal said. Will walked onto the stage and grabbed his diploma.

"That's my boyfriend," Mike called out proudly, clearly ignoring the pleas to save the applause until the end. Will sat on his spot on the stage.

"James Dante," the principal announced. James also went up and accepted his diploma. "Dustin Henderson."

Jane watched Dustin walk across the stage, and take his diploma. He sat with the other graduates. "Jane Hopper," the principal said. She walked across the stage and took her diploma. She sat with the others and saw her father in the crowd. He waved at her, and she smiled at him.

"Bruno Pines," the principal announced. He stuttered onto the stage. He took his diploma and then did a backflip, causing the audience to clap. He then took his seat. "Maxine Mayfield."

Jane's smile grew as Max accepted her diploma. She sat right behind Jane. "Lucas Sinclair," the principal announced. Lucas had eye contact with Jane for a brief moment as he took his diploma. He gave her an icy glare before sitting with the other seniors.

"Micheal Wheeler," the principal said.

"Go Mike," Holly, his seven-year-old sister, cheered. Mike took his diploma and joined the other seniors.

"This is the class of 2020," the principal announced. The class stood up and, after getting the cue from the principal, they threw their caps into the air. They watched as their caps fell, ready to face what comes next.


End file.
